


Contingency Plans

by EmeraldHeiress



Series: Antiquarian's Chest [4]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Explicit Language, Family Feels, Gen, Verbal Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-11
Updated: 2013-04-11
Packaged: 2017-12-08 04:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/756879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldHeiress/pseuds/EmeraldHeiress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Varric knew what she was doing. He thought it was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Contingency Plans

**oOoOoOo*oOoOoOo**

_“Maybe if you actually acted like you actually have something swinging between your legs, Peaches would have been happy to suck it!”_

Carver reeled back from his sister like he’d been struck and the din at the Hanged Man quieted considerably. Their other companions looked on with a mix of shock, incredulity, and even a bit of anger at the mage. Yes, the two have their issues, anyone can see that, but Marion had never said something so needlessly cruel. Isabela even turned to the young warrior and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

Varric observed the pair of siblings carefully. Marion kept her expression frozen in mocking anger, save for the brief flash of grief right after she had spoken. The noise level in the tavern slowly came back to normal.

The dwarf pondered for a moment before shaking his head in annoyance, “Hawke. A word?”

The dark haired beauty turned to look at him warily, “I suppose.” She began walking towards Varric’s suite of rooms, the other man slowly following. He noticed Aveline actually moving to comfort the lad and couldn’t help but approve. This had gone on long enough.

He pushed the door mostly closed and sat back in his chair, watching as the eldest Hawke settled tensely in a lean against the wall.

“You know, Hawke, I like you.” The mage scoffed, “No, I really do. You’re brassy, you don’t take shit from anyone, and you can have some amazingly brilliant plans.” He caught the disbelieving look she sent his way. This wasn’t like him at all. “This one, however, has to the be most royally stupid idea I’ve ever seen in my increasingly interesting life.” A wry smirk. That was more like it.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lied while crossing her arms.

“Bullshit.” She blinked. He was rarely called her out so baldly. “I know exactly what you’re doing, and sweetheart you’re fucking crazy if you think they couldn’t figure it out if they actually thought about it. It’s bloody obvious. Fenris, Aveline, _Carver_... All the warriors of our little band of miscreants, one of them your own damned _brother_ , and you antagonize every single one until they’re near ready to kill you on a daily basis.”

“So what?” She bit out. “I don’t have to be nice to anyone. Even my ‘own damned brother’.”

“It’s idiotic and stupid.” He bluntly stated, trying to get through to her. “You drive them all up the sodding wall with your bullshit, but, perhaps with the exception of Fenris, they _still continue to care about you_. That what family _does_ , Hawke. They will continue to care about you, to love you, no matter how sodding much you push them away.”

Marion looked stricken at the thought.

Varric lowered his voice, forcing her to listen harder and driving the point home, “No matter how hard you push them, if they ever have to take you down because you’ve gone rogue, it’s going to _hurt_ them. Keeping them at arms length isn’t going to make it easier on them. It will make it a thousand times harder on them because they won’t have any good memories of you with the way you snipe at them. You're not _protecting_ them by being at their throats all the time. They're going to grieve no matter what. If you go ballistic and they have to put you down, this is only going to make it _worse_.”

The mage fumbled for a chair and sat down heavily. It was a lot to take in. “I never... I never thought about it that way.” She whispered painfully. “I’d just assumed it would be better if they hated me.” She turned watery eyes to her dwarven friend, “I’m scared, Varric.”

“I know.” He said gently.

“I don’t... I don’t want to turn into one of those lunatic _things_ we run into all the time.” She lowered her head, her voice haunted. “It’s always so hard to resist them, though. The demons. They whisper in my dreams. Painting all these glorious pictures of what I could do if I _just say yes_.” She blinked through tears.

“You stupid bint.” A put-upon sigh came from the doorway and the mage turned to see the whole party from earlier standing there, obviously having eavesdropped on the conversation. Aveline moved forward after she spoke and put a hand on Marion’s shoulder.

“You think we can’t help you with that? Leandra told me something on the way over here. She said, ‘Malcolm always believed that family made it easier to bear. That the demons’ offers could be readily ignored if you had the love of those closest to you and people to share your life with.’ It seemed like wise words at the time.”

“She’s right.” Carver butted in. “Father did always say that. We probably heard it twice a week.” He lightly glared at his sister, “I’m surprised at you, Mari. I always thought you took all of Father’s teachings to heart.” He stepped forward and knelt, engulfing his tearful sibling in a massive hug. He mumbled into her hair. “I love you, you stupid bitch, and pissing me off doesn’t change that.”

There were a few startled barks of laughter from their companions, but neither Hawke paid attention. Marion’s resolve for  her plan had crumbled and she was just happy to have her brother’s arms around her. She’d missed his hugs and his laughter and love. Family was everything. “I love you, too, you giant bear.”

Varric smirked in satisfaction.

**oOo*oOo**

“Don’t you know how to swing that damned sword of yours at the _enemy_?” Marion snarked. They had just wiped out a group of Flint mercenaries. She’d been cornered by two of them when Carver had come to the rescue, swinging with deadly grace and dropped the two other warriors before she had been hurt.

The younger Hawke rolled his eyes. “I love you, too, Mari.”

She stopped. That’s right, she didn’t have to do that anymore. It had been two weeks since that conversation at the Hanged Man. Instead she shot him a slight smile of apology. The habit would be hard to break, but she was already having fewer issues dealing with the temptations of the demons. It seemed their father’s words held truth about family and love. “I love you, Brat.”

At the back of the party, Varric chuckled at Fenris’ confused expression.

**oOoOoOo*oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note:**

> I may have gotten this idea from the Kink Meme, but if I did, I didn't bookmark the prompt. My apologies.


End file.
